A lively group of musicians including a Brit Award and Mercury Music Prize nominee. Arty’s Party play Irish singalong standards. You can dance the night away to the ceilidh calling dance tunes such as the Seige of Ennis, the Gay Gordons, Strip the Willow.

Making your event fun & enjoyable whilst getting everyone dancing, from experts to beginners! The Thirty Nine Steps Trio are one of the South West’s most loved Ceilidh bands! Delivering energetic, quality performances, this trio of highly accomplished musicians are an essential for any event looking... Read more...

The Thirty-Nine Steps Ceilidh Band are one of the South West’s favourite and most accomplished ceilidh/ barn dance bands. Their number one priority is to make your occasion enjoyable and fun, to deliver a quality performance tailored to your preferences and to get you all dancing whether you are an ... Read more...

Southampton based barn dance band Hazelwood are the band for your event. Hazelwood play a mixture of English, Irish, Scottish and American styles of music suitable for club/works socials, wedding receptions, fund raisers. 3 Piece band plus caller.

The Cyclones set is geared very much towards keeping people on the dance floor and generating a party atmosphere, with strong harmonies, quality vocals, and energetic performances. Irish & Jewish repertoire also available!

Having trouble finding the perfect Ceilidh Band?

If you would like help selecting the perfect ceilidh band for your event, simply give us a call or submit the quick enquiry form below and one of our talented entertainment coordinators will be happy to assist.

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Ceilidh Hoot is a professional caller who plays infectious, upbeat, toe-tapping recorded Ceilidh & Barn Dance music that will quickly help you forget your inhibitions & throw yourself into the fabulous, lively, vibrant world of ceilidh! Dances can be tailored for total beginners or those with a bit ... Read more...

If you're looking for a dynamic and lively ceilidh band, look no further! This 5 piece band with caller, will perform all the traditional Irish and Scottish jigs and reels, that will keep you and your guests dancing all night long.

Mixing traditional Irish classics like Galway Girl & Fields Of Athenry with popular music from Van Morrison, Mumford and Sons & more, The Mighty's are a crowd pleasing Irish band guaranteed to impress!

Introducing you to real Irish Ceilidh; guaranteed to get your feet stomping! This high energy 4-piece band features an array of traditional instruments from the fiddle, whistles and the Irish Bodhran! Complete with outstanding musicianship, warm wit and Irish charm, The Irish Ceilidh Band have enter... Read more...

The Ultimate Guide To...Booking Ceilidh Bands

What are Ceilidh Bands?

Ceilidh bands (sometimes also misspelt as caleigh, kaylee or kayleigh band) perform the cheery melodies of Scottish and Irish (ceili) Gaelic folk music, guaranteed to make your feet tap and get everyone up dancing!

Consisting of small groups of musicians or large ensembles, they always feature a range of instruments, such as fiddles, accordions, pipes, guitar, piano, and drums, and can be amplified or acoustic.

Traditionally, they include a ‘caller’ to teach or remind your guests of the dance routines, calling out reminders as each song progresses, ensuring you keep up with each move for the various dances.

From slow waltzes to a stomping, fast-paced ‘strip the willow’, a ceilidh is the best fun you can have in an evening’s entertainment, as well as a fantastic workout!

What music will they play?

They usually perform a range of jaunty, lively and uplifting traditional Scottish dance music, Irish ceili & traditional English folk music music, intermingled with slower waltzes (allowing you to catch your breath a bit!). They’re likely to play any of a range of traditional tunes, including:

Boston Two-Step

Broon’s Reel

Canadian Barn Dance

Circassian Circle

Dashing White Sergeant

Eightsome Reel

Eva Three-Step

Gay Gordons

Haymakers Jig

Highland Schottische

Hullighan’s Jig

Military Two-Step

Polka Medley

Pride of Erin Waltz

Scottish Waltz

Siege of Ennis

St Bernard’s Waltz

Strip the Willow

Swedish Masquerade

The Bluebell Polka

The Flying Scotsman

The Stack of Barley

The Walls of Limerick

The repertoire for each of our bands is listed on their profile page.

Popular types of band

1. Scottish and Irish Bands

Formed of anything from 2 to 8 and more members, Scottish and Irish bands incorporate a variety of traditional instruments, usually acoustic. The music they play will range from slow waltzes to fast polkas and everything in-between. They often feature a ‘caller’ who will help get your guests through each dance with lots of gusto.

Again, with any number of members and occasionally performing with a ‘caller’, there are several bands who perform crossover music – playing traditional Celtic ceilidh music and also offering a range of classic and contemporary rock and pop in a ceilidh style, giving your party a brilliant, fun twist. Rock and pop music covered will include tunes from artists such as Frank Sinatra, Van Morrison, The Beatles, and The Proclaimers. Many of these bands will also offer a range of other Celtic music, such as Whisky In The Jar, Flower o’ Scotland and Auld Lang Syne.

If you’re planning a wedding, a live band can provide lively entertainment for the evening reception, and can start the party by performing for the bride and groom’s first dance, before all the guests take to the floor. Often bands can welcome or ‘pipe in’ the happy couple, to their wedding breakfast, if required too.

Ceilidhs are a common way to celebrate any occasion, and an excellent choice for a Hogmanay celebration, a private or corporate Burn’s supper or a Saint Patrick’s Day party where a big, lively event is called for.

At events where people are meeting each other for the first time, such as weddings and mixers, ceilidhs are fantastic ice breakers. They can include large or small groups of people and each dance is cyclical and very easy to pick up, so your guests can get into the swing and enjoy themselves within a few short bars.

If you want everyone on the dancefloor and to feel involved at your event, then a ceilidh – no matter how big or small – will really get you and your guests moving.

Space considerations at your event

The amount of space needed for your band will depend on the line-up you choose. It goes without saying that a ceilidh duo will need far less space than a 5-piece or an 8-piece band. If you’re limited for space at your venue, you can add or remove musicians from most bands in the Alive Network stable.

Of course, you will need plenty of room to swing your partner around on the dancefloor! A ceilidh can take place in a local village hall or a grand ballroom, depending on the number of guests who will be burling around, but it’s certainly wise to allow plenty of space for the dancing, fun and frivolities that a ceilidh will unleash!

Volume considerations - How loud are they?

The line-up of your chosen band, whether they play acoustically or with amplification, and the acoustics of your venue will impact the band’s volume at your event. A ceilidh – and the whooping of your guests! – can be loud and lively, somewhere in the region of 80–110 dB, so if you have your heart set on a ceilidh, do bear this in mind when you’re looking at venues. Some venues will be constrained by volume restrictions and sound limiters, so we recommend you ask your venue about their setup. For more information on sound limiters, visit our guide to sound limiters here

How much do they cost?

This table outlines the general prices of Alive Network's ceilidh bands:

Type of Artist

Cost Range

Ceilidh Duos

£300 - £1,065

3-piece bands

£666 - £1,330

4-piece bands

£540 - £1,920

5-piece bands and larger

£790 - £1,265

Adding or removing instrumentalists from your band will have implications on cost. You can reduce costs further by choosing a band who are based close to your chosen venue, since their travel costs will be minimised. The location of each band is shown on their profile pages, and your Entertainment Coordinator can help by recommending a range of fantastic ceilidh musicians near your venue. You don’t need to limit yourself to local bands, however – your perfect ceilidh wedding band may be willing to travel at minimal cost!

Who are the top 10 Ceilidh artists in the UK right now?

This list is made up of our most entertaining UK-based bands that we recommend, based on a mixture of their popularity, high performance quality and originality:

How long will they play for?

Ceilidh groups normally perform two 60-minute sets, with many offering three 40-minute sets, or the option to play for longer. Generally, two sets work best but the band can advise on what format keeps the atmosphere lively and the dancefloor full.

Some bands also offer the option to finish after midnight, if your event calls for it.

How much space will they need?

This table gives an approximate guide to how much performance space various format bands will need:

Type of Band

Average Performance Space Required

Duos

3 × 2 metres

3-piece band

3 × 3 metres

4-piece band

4 × 3 metres

5- and 6-piece band

5 × 3 metres

7-piece band and larger

5/6 × 4 metres

These rough measurements will vary, depending on the number of musicians and the type of instruments in the band you select. Your Entertainment Coordinator can discuss the options with you further.

How long will it take for the band to set up?

Providing they can park close to your venue’s performance area, it can take around 60 – 90 minutes for a band to unload, set up and perform a vital sound check.

Following the ceilidh, the band usually takes around 30 – 60 minutes to pack away and load out.

What equipment will they need?

Wedding Ceilidh bands usually need the following:

parking provision, with easy access to the venue

refreshments – soft drinks and hot food, depending how long you’ve booked them for

good lighting – particularly if they’re playing in a marquee

a dedicated, suitably-sized, safe, dry, and flat performance area

if they’ve agreed to perform outside, your musicians will need shelter from the sun, wind and rain!

a sturdy, armless chair for each musician

a minimum of four 13 amp power sockets, depending on the line-up and whether they’re fully amplified or acoustic

a secure, lockable changing room

Most of Alive Network’s bands can provide their own microphones, and PA sound system or amplifiers.

If your event will have 200+ guests, you may need to hire a separate PA sound system. Your dedicated Entertainment Coordinator can discuss the requirements for your short-listed bands.

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The Leading Ceilidh Bands Agency in Dorset

Alive Network are the largest Ceilidh Band agents supplying Dorset and one of the leading entertainment agencies in the world. We specialise in booking Ceilidh Bands for weddings, corporate events and private parties.

Some artists may appear with the kind co-operation and consent of their respective management companies.

This service is intended for personal use only and no part of the service may be displayed in public, broadcast or used for any business purpose without the consent of Alive Network. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of our services and web content, we accept no responsibility for any use made of the information provided and we shall not be liable for any loss suffered thereby.